A for Anything
A novel about a matter duplicator that leads to a slave economy.
A for Anything is a science fiction novel by American writer Damon Knight. It was first released in 1959 under the title The People Maker by Zenith Books, based on a story that appeared in the November 1957 issue of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Knight later revised the text, and it was published by Berkley in 1961 as A for Anything. The novel is widely regarded as Knight's best work.
The story centers on the invention of the "Gismo," a device capable of duplicating any material object, including another Gismo. Because this makes all physical goods essentially free, the only remaining commodity of value is human labor, which the author argues would inevitably lead to a slave economy. Knight has said he chose the matter duplicator because he felt other authors had handled the concept poorly.
The plot begins when an anonymous inventor mails copies of the Gismo to hundreds of people, causing the immediate collapse of civil society. The narrative then jumps to the year 2149, where a wealthy minority rules over a slave society. Access to Gismos is tightly controlled by slave guards who are themselves produced by the device. The story follows Dick Jones, the son of the leader of Buckhill, a compound in the Poconos. On his last day there before leaving for military training at Eagles, a larger compound in the Rocky Mountains, Jones insults a cousin, is challenged to a duel, kills him, and is secretly sent away the next morning.
At Eagles, a city built into a mountain, Jones discovers that the Gismo is used to duplicate slaves, with the most trusted ones copied hundreds of times. Status among citizens depends on social connections and, for men, skill in hand-to-hand combat. The dark side of this society is shown through the Boss, who enjoys watching slaves fall to their death down a shaft via closed-circuit television. It is suggested that most slaves are "recycled" around age 30, but with a ratio of 300 slaves for every freeman at Eagles, some live much longer.
Hints from Jones's father suggest the slaves are planning a revolt. At Eagles, Jones is introduced to a secret society that debates the slave culture and plans a revolution with help from a disaffected member of the ruling family. Jones is captivated by the arguments.
- Author
- Damon Knight
- Nationality
- American
- Genre
- Science fiction novel
- First published as
- The People Maker (1959)
- Revised edition published as
- A for Anything (1961)
- Based on
- Story in November 1957 issue of Fantasy and Science Fiction
Lore & Background
The story is told through the eyes of Dick Jones, the son of the leader of Buckhill, a compound in the Poconos. Jones is coming of age and is about to be sent to Eagles, another, larger compound in the Rocky Mountains, for military training. At Eagles, Jones is startled to realize that the Gismo is used to duplicate slaves, and that the most trusted slaves have been copied hundreds of times. There are hints from Jones's father in Buckhill that the slaves are contemplating revolt. In Eagles, Jones is introduced to a secret society that debates the merits of the slave culture and plans a revolution. Before the revolution can be put into action, the slaves revolt, killing most of the free citizens.
Reader's Guide
A for Anything is significant as a dystopian exploration of the consequences of a matter duplicator, a theme Knight felt other authors had handled badly. The novel examines the collapse of civil society and the emergence of a slave economy when material goods become free. It is generally considered to be Knight's finest novel. The work critiques the stagnation of scientific progress in a world where the Gismo can do everything, and it presents a dark vision of a society where status is determined by social connections and skill at hand-to-hand combat. The novel's legacy lies in its unflinching portrayal of a future where technology, rather than liberating humanity, enables a brutal and regressive social order.
Did You Know?
- The novel first appeared in 1959 as The People Maker (Zenith Books).
- Knight said of this novel: 'I chose the matter duplicator, because I thought other authors had handled it badly.'
- The story jumps to the year 2149, where society is a wealthy minority supported by slavery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is A for Anything?
A for Anything is a science fiction novel by American writer Damon Knight that explores the societal consequences of a perfect matter duplicator. It was originally published in 1959 as The People Maker and later revised under its current title in 1961.
What is the Gismo?
The Gismo is a device at the heart of the novel that can replicate any physical object, including additional copies of itself. Its existence renders all material goods essentially free, which sets the entire dystopian plot in motion.
How does the Gismo lead to a slave economy?
With every physical product made freely available, labor becomes the sole remaining thing of economic value. This collapse of the goods economy forces society into a system where human beings are exploited as the last commodity.
Who wrote A for Anything and when was it first published?
American author Damon Knight wrote the novel, which first appeared in 1959 under the title The People Maker, based on a shorter story he published in the November 1957 issue of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Berkley released the revised edition as A for Anything in 1961.
Why is A for Anything considered significant in dystopian fiction?
The novel is widely regarded as Damon Knight's finest work and is praised for its sharp economic logic. It uses the simple premise of a perfect copier to expose how removing scarcity from goods can paradoxically intensify the exploitation of people.
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